Final Ranking of the Top
Players at the adidas ABCD Camp(Rankings are based primarily on camp performance)by Clark Francis, Adam Gorney, Chris Johnson, Mike Giuliani, Allen Rubin, and Dave
Schultz

The Class of 2002 is down, but that didn't prevent adidas
ABCD Camp from having what might be its best week ever. Obviously the
overwhelming number of great point guards had a lot to do with the success of camp, but
just as important were the incredible number of underclassmen who stepped up and
established themselves among the elite players in the nation regardless of class. As
a matter of fact, four of the top five players in camp - 6'6 Jr LeBron James
from Akron (St. Vincent-St. Mary) OH, 5'11 Soph Sebastian Telfair from
Brooklyn (Lincoln) NY, 6'8 Jr Leon Powe from Oakland (Vocational Tech)
CA, and 6'10 Jr Kendrick Perkins from Beaumont (Ozen) TX - are
underclassmen. Digging a little deeper, 6'8 Soph Mike Williams from
Camden (Wilcox Central) AL, 6'9 Jr Charlie Villanueva from Blairstown
(Academy) NJ, 6'9 Jr Travis Outlaw from Starkville (H.S.) MS, 6'0 Soph Darius
Washington from Orlando (Edgewater) FL, 6'5 Jr Olu Famutimi from
Flint (Northwestern) MI, 6'7 Jr Trevor Ariza from Los Angeles
(Westchester) CA, 6'9 Jr Chris Taft from Brooklyn (Xaverian) NY, 6'4 Jr Marquis
Webb from Paterson (Catholic) NJ, 6'4 Jr Jai Miller from Selma
(H.S.) AL, 6'3 Jr Omar Wilkes from Los Angeles (Loyola) CA, 6'0 Soph Jason
Horton from Cedar Hill (H.S.) TX, 6'7 Soph Joshua Smith from
Smryna (Whitfield) GA, 6'11 Jr Darryl Watkins from Paterson (Catholic)
NJ, 6'8 Jr Warren Scott from New Orleans (Abramson) LA, 6'8 Frosh
Joey Cameron from Calere (H.S.) AL, 6'10 Jr Major Wingate from
Florence (Wilson) SC, 6'6 Jr Marcus Sikes from Middleburg (Notre Dame)
VA, and 5'11 Soph Eric Price from Rockville (Montrose Christian) MD also
were ranked among our top 50 players in camp. In other words, 22 of the top 50
players or almost half of the top players in camp may all be back next year
And four of these underclassmen - Telfair, Washington, Horton, and Price - are also point
guards, which was a big part of the reason why there was so much depth at this position in
camp. Combine that with the fact that the point guard spot is clearly the best
position in the junior class nationally (nine of the our top 20 players in the Class of
2002 are point guards) and it is easy to see why we think this was the single best
position ever at a superstar oriented camp, like the NIKE All-American Camp and adidas
ABCD Camp. Sure there were a few exceptions, like 6'2 Anthony Roberson
from Saginaw (H.S.) MI, but most of the point guards gave up the basketball. The
power forward and center spots also turned out to be deep positions thanks once again to
the overwhelming number of outstanding underclassmen in camp. Perkins heads the list
of underclassmen at the 5-spot, followed by Williams, Taft, Watkins, Scott, Wingate, 6'10
Jr David Padgett from Reno (H.S.) NV, 6'10 Jr Jackie Butler from
McComb (H.S.) MS, and 6'9 Soph Randolph Morris from Fairburn (Landmark
Christian) GA, all of whom were ranked among the top 20 centers in camp. A similar
situation existed at 4-spot, as Powe, Villanueva, Outlaw, Ariza, Cameron, 6'9 Jr Ekene
Ibekewe from Carson (H.S.) CA, 6'8 Jr Ivan Harris from
Springfield (North) OH, 6'9 Jr Nick Stiggers from Memphis (Hillcrest) TN,
6'8 Jr Sheray Thomas from Parkdale (Riverdale Baptist) MD, and 6'8 Jr Will
Sheridan from Sanford (Hockessin) DE were all ranked among our top 20 power
forwards in camp. In contrast, the wing forward and 2-guard spots lacked depth and,
with the exception of James, any great underclassmen who dominated the camp.
Our rankings below are based primarily on camp performance and not college and/or pro
potential. So it makes sense that James would be the #1-ranked player in camp after
he out played 6'6 Leonard Cooke from Old Tappan (H.S.) NJ, who is
currently the #1-ranked rising senior nationally by the HOOP SCOOP.
"Currently" is the key word, because Cooke hasn't been the same player since he
faced James on the third day of camp. James also was outstanding in the
Underclassmen All-Star Game with 22 points, four rebounds, and seven assists and he was
the only player all week who clearly outplayed Telfair. Speaking of Telfair, his
29-point performance in the Underclassmen All-Star Game was so incredible that it's
something we'll likely be talking about in 20 years. Telfair also finished 4th in
camp in assists and out played every point guard he faced, except James and 6'2 Raymond
Felton from Latta (H.S.) SC. And that's some pretty fast company when you
remember that Felton, 6'2 Anthony Roberson from Saginaw (H.S.) MI, 6'1 Sean
Dockery from Chicago (Julian) IL, 6'0 Elijah Ingram from Jersey
City (St. Anthony) NJ, and 6'2 Allan Ray from Bronx (St. Raymond's) NY
were all on teams in the same pool as Telfair. Only time will will tell whether
Telfair lives up to all the Stephon Marbury comparisons, but up until now
he's met all the challenges and, as a result, appears to be well on his way towards
becoming a great one! Already we mark him down as the #1 player in New York City
regardless of class, as well as one of the top five players in the nation regardless of
class, along with James, Felton, Cooke, and 6'9 Amare Stoudemire from
Orlando (Cypress Creek) FL.
Statistically Felton didn't rank among the leaders in any category, but he didn't have to,
as he was easily one of the best players in camp. In direct contrast, Powe has to be
ranked among the top five in camp, because he was both the leading scorer (21.3 ppg) and
the leading rebounder (9.9 rpg) for the week. He also was terrific in the
Underclassmen All-Star Game, as he scored 21 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and had three
steals. Rounding out our top five was Perkins, who was the most dominating big man
in camp. He also was the second leading rebounder in camp (8.9 rpg), as well as one
of the leading scorers before leaving camp early. As a result, we didn't get a
chance to see Perkins in the Underclassmen All-Star Game. We also didn't get to see
any of the Michigan kids - Roberson, 6'10 Paul Davis from Rochester
(H.S.) MI, 6'7 Matt Trannon from Flint (Northern) MI 6'2 Jr Byron
Davis from Detroit (Rogers) MI, 6'5 Jr Olu Famutimi from Flint
(Northwestern) MI, and 6'3 Jr Brandon Jenkins from Detroit (Southeastern)
MI - in either the Underclassmen or the Senior All-Star Game, because the Michigan State
High School Association prohibts their participation. Also selected to play, but not
participating in the Underclassmen All-Star Game were Padgett, Perkins, and Ibekewe.
Other Senior All-Star Game selectees who didn't participate were 6'9 Travis
Garrison from Hyattsville (DeMatha) MD, 6'7 Marcus White from
Chicago (Whitney Young) IL, and 6'7 Carmelo Anthony from Mouth of Wilson
(Oak Hill) VA, who played Cooke straight up the first day, but then had to go home to
attend summer school.
We've learned to expect politics to come into play when the all-star teams are selected,
but we're still wondering who 6'7 Nik Caner-Medley from Portland
(Deering) ME knew to get into the game. We're also wondering why once he was
selected Caner-Medley didn't play a single minute in the game. Caner-Medley is a
big-time athlete, but we still question his outside shooting and his willingness to
consistently assert himself against big-time competition. However, he did have
several impressive dunks and he's extremely athletic for a white kid. And
Caner-Medley wasn't the only player who was picked to play in the all-star game who in our
opinion didn't belong. 6'11 Sani Ibrahim from Winchendon (School)
MA had a bad week and 6'3 Taquan Dean from Neptune (H.S.) NJ didn't play
up to his expectations. However, Wingate, 6'6 Curtis Sumpter from
Brooklyn (Bishop Loughlin) NY, 6'4 Jr Rodrick Stewart from Seattle
(Rainier Beach) WA, and 6'4 Jr Lodrick Stewart from Seattle (Rainier
Beach) WA all did get snubbed from the all-star game and they deserved to, as none
of them came close to living up to their press clippings. Also not making the Senior
All-Star Game was 6'4 Marcus Watkins from College Station (A&M
Consolidated) TX, who was one of the top best players in camp, but very ordinary the rest
of the week, as he finished ranked no higher than #9 at the 2-guard position. The
only player ranked among our top 25 in camp who failed to get invited to play in the
either all-star game was 6'4 Maurice Ager from Detroit (Crockett)
MI. However, we're still not convinced he's any better than top 50 in the senior
class nationally (we had a discussion with several people, including his high school
coach, prior to the start of the camp about where Ager is currently ranked
nationally). Also ranked among our top 50 in camp, but failing to get invited to
play in either all-star game were 6'7 Derrick Byars from Memphis
(Ridgeway) TN, 6'3 Devon Williams from The Colony (H.S.) TX, 6'5 Maurice
Petty from Shelby (Crest) NC, 6'4 Jr Jai Miller from Selma
(H.S.) AL, 6'7 Curtis Withers from Charlotte (West Charlotte) NC, 6'4 John
Winchester from Durham (Mt. Zion Christian) NC, 5'9 Brandon Stockton
from Glasgow (H.S.) KY, and Wingate.
The player who helped himself the most at the adidas ABCD Camp was 6'9 Ike
Diogu from Garland (H.S.) TX, who prior to the camp wasn't ranked among our top
100 nationally, but who now has to be ranked among the elite big men in the class.
Diogu is a physical specimen who plays hard and is active on the boards. Diogu also
surprisingly athletic and very mobible for somebody his sieze. Also skyrocketing in
our ranking based on his performance at this camp was 6'11 Chris Bosh from
Dallas (Lincoln) TX. We're not sure that Bosh should be ranked among our top five
nationally, but we're also not sure that he shouldn't. Not only is Bosh an explosive
athlete, a big-time shot blocker, and excellent rebounder, but he's also versatile enough
to post you up inside and/or beat you away for the basket. He even showed us a
3-point shot, but unlike a lot of the big soft finesse big men that a produced in this day
and age, Bosh takes care of business inside first. We also like the fact that he
always comes to play and that he just better and better every time we see him. Other
players who are on the rise based on their performance at the Adidas ABDC Camp
are 6'9 DeAngelo Collins from Inglewood (H.S.) CA, 6'7 Francisco
Garcia from Cheshire (Academy) CT, 6'2 Gerry McNamara from
Scranton (H.S.) PA, 6'8 Antoine Wright from Groton (Lawrence Academy) MA,
6'8 Charles Davis from Selma (Southside) AL, 6'5 Adam Haluska
from Carroll (Community) IA, and 6'4 Shawn Harris from Fork Union
(Military) VA. Speaking of Harris, can you believe he didn't make our top 50 in
camp? No only did Harris have nine points in the Senior All-Star Game, but he also
finished ranked #8 in camp in scoring with 15.6 ppg and #8 in 3-point shooting with 44.4%
accuracy. Part of the problem might have had to do with name recognition (the high
profiles players often get ranked higher than the should based on the reputation), but
also Harris is a like a jack-of-all-trades who doesn't do anything flashy and normally
makes his living take what the defense gives him.